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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26431696">We keep this love in a photograph</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malec_Lover23/pseuds/Malec_Lover23'>Malec_Lover23</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Alec Lightwood Loves Magnus Bane, Alec Lightwood's Birthday, Alec loves his family, Birthday Fluff, Birthday Party, Birthday Presents, Gen, Good Parabatai Jace Wayland, Good Sibling Isabelle Lightwood, Happy Alec Lightwood, Happy Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Magnus Bane Loves Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Fluff, Married Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, No Angst, Photographs, SO MUCH FLUFF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 03:55:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,518</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26431696</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malec_Lover23/pseuds/Malec_Lover23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>I’m late to the party as always but it’s still the 12th where I live so it counts. Happy birthday to my grumpy cuddling loving Inquisitor! </p><p>•When Alec gets married to Magnus, he starts to love pictures of his family and friends more than ever. It's no secret that Alec is the biggest sap the Shadow world has ever known, and he's nostalgic in his own way, too.•</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alec Lightwood &amp; Isabelle Lightwood, Alec Lightwood &amp; Jace Wayland, Alec Lightwood &amp; Maryse Lightwood, Alec Lightwood &amp; Max Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>We keep this love in a photograph</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Find me on tumblr Malec_Lover23 :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Alec gets married to Magnus, he starts to love pictures of his family and friends more than ever. It's no secret that Alec is the biggest sap the Shadow world has ever known, and he's nostalgic in his own way, too. </p><p>As a kid, he never really liked photos, because he never felt there was anything worth photographing. Also, growing up with Maryse and Robert didn't really make room for the more sentimental parts of childhood. </p><p>During Alec's wedding, they hired several photographers to capture the moments that will forever make Alec's wedding day the best day of his life. During their honeymoon, Alec and Magnus flip through all the photos the photographers took and pick their favorites. Of course, they couldn't pick between any of them, so they just decide to find a place for all of them. </p><p>They each put one on their nightstand, Magnus hangs them up across what seems like every wall of their loft, Magnus moves ingredients on his apothecary shelf to make room for more framed pictures, Alec slips a small picture in his wallet and litters his office with wedding pictures. Alec gives a few to each of his siblings and his mother while Magnus sends them off to all of his old friends and new friends alike. </p><p>When Clary comes back into the picture after gaining her memories back, they host a family dinner at Maryse's bookstore. Luke sets up the timer and races back to his place beside Maryse before the camera flashes. </p><p>Each couple gets a framed copy of that one. Magnus and Alec hang it up over their dining room table, and to this day Alec always turns to glance at it while making his coffee in the mornings, relishing the genuine smiles and tangible love evident in the picture. He can still feel the happiness eluding from his soul from that night. </p><p>When Jace and Clary get married a few months later, (Nephilim couples have never taken their time) Magnus takes a picture of Jace and Alec at the Hunters Moon during the bachelor party. They're obviously both drunk out of their minds, but they both have their arm around each other, and the love is so much more perceivable than the insane amount of beer consumed that night. </p><p>A week later, at the actual wedding, Maryse takes a picture of the four of them: Alec, Izzy, Jace, and Clary. Jace and Clary are in the middle, proudly clinging to each other while Izzy is at Clary's side and Alec at Jace's. All four of them are wearing gold to symbolize the color of marriage. </p><p>As a wedding gift, Izzy and Alec send it in to a studio and get it turned into a canvas. They leave it in Clary and Jace's room so they can see it when they return since they're still on their honeymoon. </p><p>On a rare day off, Alec wakes up at noon, turning around to see his warlock still fast asleep, wiggling closer to him in sleep. Alec grabs his phone from the nightstand and opens the camera. </p><p>Magnus looks ethereal in the golden sunlight that tumbles through the window, face bare but that makes him even more beautiful. </p><p>He's just about to click the button when Magnus grumbles and grabs his wrist. </p><p>"Alexander, are you taking pictures of me without my consent?" He opens one eye and immediately smiles. </p><p>"How did you even know? You were asleep!" Alec asks incredulously, throwing his phone down into golden sheets. </p><p>"A warlock always knows. They sleep with one eye open always." Magnus winks and pulls Alec's closer, granting him with a sweet good morning kiss that leaves Alec wanting much more. </p><p>Alec leans back in to capture his lips but Magnus pulls away and grabs Alec's phone, handing it back to him. </p><p>"If you're going to take unsanctioned photos of me, at least make sure I can smile for them." Alec takes a picture of Magnus smiling at him like he just hung the stars in the sky, eyes crinkled as the sunlight colors his golden skin. </p><p>Alec immediately makes that his lock-screen wallpaper and then chucks his phone away from the bed as Magnus eagerly straddles him to begin their favorite morning activity. </p><p>The weeks turn into months, the months into years as Alec’s picture collection grows. </p><p>Catarina has Magnus and Alec over for dinner one night to celebrate Madzie going off to the Spiral Labyrinth for training. Alec still manages to lift Madzie into his arms as Magnus wraps an arm around his waist, Catarina barely able to contain her laughter as she takes the picture on Magnus' phone. </p><p>That one gets framed and set on Alec's desk, beside the others that display just how much he's loved by the family he was both born into and made himself. </p><p>A few months later, Max takes a trip to New York which is part of an assignment for his training back in LA. He's supposed to observe the way different leaders use their Shadowhunters to protect the community, and write a three page essay on each Institute. Well, Max never completes the essay. Jace, Alec, and Izzy take turns writing it for him. </p><p>Max spends the week training with his brothers, shopping with Izzy and Clary, exploring world cuisine with Magnus, and tearing apart the books in Maryse's bookstore.</p><p>They capture plenty of memories during that week, but Alec's favorite has to be the picture Izzy took in the training room. Jace, Alec, and Max just got done training with blades for the better half of the afternoon, and they were on their way to get showers to clean up for dinner with Maryse and Luke. </p><p>Izzy pulls out her camera as Max throws an arm around each of his brothers, smiling wide as both Jace and Alec hold up their swords, smiles equally as bright. That one becomes Alec's home screen wallpaper and Maryse nearly cries after seeing it that night after dinner. </p><p>It’s now nearing the end of Alec’s thirty first birthday, and Alec does believe he’s never been happier. He spent the morning of his birthday locked in the bedroom with Magnus, the afternoon eating lunch with his siblings, and the evening at the Hunters Moon that was rented out just for his family and friends to enjoy drinks and dinner. </p><p>“I have one more present for you, my love.” Magnus says against his ear as they both walk into the bedroom well after midnight. </p><p>“Mags, I actually have to go into work tomorrow.” Alec groans, flopping onto the bed. </p><p>Magnus laughs and shakes his head, “Nothing like that unless you want to, which I’m certainly not against.” </p><p>“I’m sure we can work something out. But what is it?” Alec sits up on his elbows, now intrigued by Magnus’ final gift. </p><p>"I know we both share a love of photos, so I figured you would appreciate a little book of pictures from tonight.” Magnus hands him a small leather photo book with today’s date sewn into the leather. </p><p>Alec flicks through the book, immediately recognizing the pictures that were just taken a few hours prior. There’s so many pictures; Alec wonders who took them all. And Alec wonders just how quickly Magnus got them all printed. Must be a warlock thing. </p><p>There’s one of Izzy, Jace, and Alec at the bar, there’s one of Maryse and Alec, there’s one of Magnus sitting on Alec’s lap in a booth across from Maia and Raphael, there’s one of Max grimacing at the taste of Magnus’ martini, Alec laughing in the background. </p><p>He flips the page and sees one of Alec and Magnus playing Izzy and Simon in pool, and then the next picture is of Magnus and Alec making out on the pool table. Thankfully, most of the guests were already gone for that. </p><p>He flips to the last page to see all of them circled around Alec as he cuts into his birthday cake. Then, a little note at the bottom in Magnus’ elegant handwriting: </p><p>My Alexander, always remember you are so indescribably loved. Happy birthday, my darling. ~xoxo MLB </p><p>Alec looks up from the book, feeling tears well up in his eyes. Magnus is already there, taking the book gently from his hands and setting it onto his nightstand, "Magnus, thank you. This is the best present I’ve ever gotten.”</p><p>"Oh, Alexander, you deserve this and so much more. I’m glad you like it.” Alec wraps his arms around his husband and buries his face in the crook of his neck.</p><p>“I love you.” Alec murmurs. </p><p>“I love you too, Angel.” Magnus brings a hand to sift through Alec’s hair as they embrace. </p><p>“Now,” Magnus says, a glint of desire in his golden cat eyes as his glamour drops, “Allow me to pamper you for one final night, yeah?” Alec grins as Magnus pushes him onto their bed. </p><p>When Alec wakes up the next morning with Magnus practically lying on top of him, he admits that maybe the photo book ended up being the second best birthday present.</p>
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